Accepting the truth
by Sad Olive
Summary: Three months after Klaus was put into Tyler's body, Caroline finds out the truth. Now in his true form, Klaus confronts Caroline about her feelings for him.


**Hello dear readers, I found myself having a case of writer's block so I decided to edit this fiction to help remedy that. I changed some words around and added a bit more details. Hope you like this version better. Happy reading! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to TVD. **

Caroline was cleaning the kitchen when Klaus walked in. Ever since Bonnie performed the Restoration ritual her life has been a mess. For the past week she tried to keep herself busy. She cleaned, she organized, she studied for school more than she needed to, all so that she would not have to think of him. She did anything to keep her mind off of him.

She was emptying out her dishwasher, trying to focus on the mundane task but her thoughts wandered to him again. The past three months with Tyler had been nothing but bliss. Since Elena became a vampire the worries of her being hunted for her Doppelganger blood vanished. Bonnie informed her that just before Klaus was killed she performed a spell that would prevent any vampires that descended from him would remain unharmed after his death.

Everything had been perfect for Caroline. During the past three months her and Tyler had date-night almost every night. He took her to wonderful restaurants and concerts and while their relationship was based on the most intimate of levels, she began to see a whole new side to Tyler. She knew he loved her deeply but he showed it even more with his way of listening to her. He was attentive to what she wanted in life and on more than one occasion he helped cross an item off her bucket list.

_"You're different now," _She told him one night while they lounged on her bed, wrapped in each other's arms. _"But it's a good different. I never knew I could fall deeper in love with you," she beamed at him._

_"Well, I nearly died. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me and I am not going to waste the time I have with you," he answered._

It wasn't until Bonnie revealed the truth of what really happened three months ago. Bonnie made a deal with Klaus: She gave him his life back only if he promised to change his ways and instead help protect the town; that would include getting rid of all the hybrids he made. Vampires and werewolves could be dealt with easily compared to Klaus' army. Hybrids were stronger creatures and they were incredibly hard to kill. They were taking over the town and causing problems that Bonnie and the others couldn't handle. If Klaus didn't agree to getting rid of the hybrids Bonnie would simply let his life end. To her relief and dismay he agreed but only if she would help him win over Caroline.

While Bonnie did not exactly relish the idea of a hybrid murderer charming one of her best friends, the amount of lives she could save by agreeing to help him was too important to ignore. Her spell required a sacrifice of someone who was more than human, even more than vampire...and who was an innocent. And since Klaus wanted Caroline, Bonnie could only think of sacrificing Tyler.

When she finally confessed to truth, Caroline screamed at her, told her she wasn't a friend at all, and has since then ignored her. Bonnie wanted to regret her decision. Tyler was innocent but in the end Bonnie saved lives and to her that was more important. She was done being told what type of spells she should and shouldn't do. She knew that in the end she did the right thing, even if it did make her a murderer. She told herself that since Caroline was a vampire she would eventually find another love interest. After all, Caroline is immortal.

For the past week Caroline had been miserable. It had been a week since she was told the truth. A week since she discovered that Tyler was in fact dead. A week since she had spoken to Bonnie. And a week spent without being held in her sleep. Discovering that Tyler was actually Klaus in disguise broke her heart. Klaus was back in his own body thanks to Bonnie's Restoration spell and when she saw him a week ago it was too much for her to bear. She was upset and confused. She questioned her feelings because when she found out the truth she wasn't heartbroken because he wasn't Tyler, she was heartbroken because for a brief moment she admitted to herself she didn't mind.

In that brief moment she was honest with herself. She had feelings for Klaus even while he terrorized her town. The drawing, the bracelet, the ball, his charm, his passion for beauty, his love of immortal freedom, and even his twisted way of protecting those he cared about (his family)...all of that drew her to him. She only fought him because he was the enemy. She fought her feelings for him because she was with Tyler.

Tyler had been her knight in shining armor but Klaus was her dark savior.

So there she was in her kitchen, battling against her emotions while she placed cups back in the cabinets. Klaus stood in her kitchen doorway, watching her intently. It had been a week since she saw him in his true form and he was dying to speak to her, to see her.

"Hello, love."

She froze for just a moment but then slammed a cup down on the counter. "I don't want to speak to you Klaus. Go away. I mean it, go away," she frustratedly ordered.

"Caroline, we need to talk. Please let me talk to you, let me explain why..."

"Why you what? Why you pretended to be Tyler for three months? Why you lied to me?" she screamed.

Klaus was about to start yelling back but then refrained because he started to hear her cry. He couldn't see her face but he could her hear staggered breathing.

"Caroline, sweetheart," he closed the distance between them and lightly but firmly gripped her arm to turn her to face him. Even when they were facing each other Caroline still couldn't bring herself to look into his eyes. "I love you, Caroline. Darling please look at me," he begged. She slowly brought up her eyes to his face. It was the first time in a long time she looked at him. The last time she looked into his blues eyes was when he saved her at her high school. His eyes were piercing into hers with sincerity and tenderness and he gently cupped the side of her face with hand and wiped her tears away. "Caroline, I love you," he repeated to her.

She could feel her walls against him breaking down but then she quickly became the old Caroline and scoffed at him. She swatted his hand away from her face and pushed away from him. "You don't know how to love. You only know how to cause pain. You use people to your advantage and to your liking. I can't ever love you," after a brief moment of thought Caroline continued, "How do you expect me to ever care or even love someone like you?"

Klaus looked hurt. He was hurt. He knew that confronting Caroline would be no easy task but when he reflected on the past three months he knew that it was what he had to do. He did love her, whether she believed it or not. And she loved him. And he wasn't going to leave her alone until she accepted the truth.

"Caroline, I know what I have done to you and to your family and to your friends. I know you think of me as a monster. I know you wish for me to leave you alone but I will not. I cannot," he sighed and struggled for words, "You captured me, love. Your light has blinded me from everything else," his tone then became very serious," I want you. You are meant to be at my side, love. And you know it. Admit it. Deep down you knew something was different. You knew, deep down, that it was not Tyler who has been loving you these past three months."

She stared at him while her arms were crossed and then she abruptly turned around and stared out of her kitchen window. He was right. She knew he was right. He was always right. _Mark my words. Small town boy, small town life. It's not going to be enough for you. _His words replayed in her mind and he was right. Caroline wanted more in life.

Klaus stood still, waiting for her to say anything, to do anything. Her silence told him she was deep in thought and he stayed quiet, letting his words sink into her heart.

She shut her eyes tightly and let out a ragged breath. "I can't do this," she whispered.

"Yes you can, sweetheart. Caroline, you love me. Just admit it to yourself," she was shaking her head and hugged herself. He again, closed the distance between them and now stood in front of her. He put his hand under her chin and made her look at him while he continued to talk to her, "I told you once that I could show you what the world has to offer. Caroline you deserve so much more in life. Please let me show you." He gazed into her eyes with hope, silently begging her to let him.

Caroline gazed into his eyes but only for a moment. She couldn't admit this. She didn't want to admit this. What would her friends think? What would that make her? Who would she be if she let herself go with him, with Klaus? She considered what he just said to her and again she pushed him away, "I don't love you! How dare you! Just so we're clear, these past three months have meant nothing to me. Nothing! Do you hear..."

But before she could finish her sentence Klaus grabbed the top of her arms and pulled her to him and encircled her with his powerful arms. He expected her to deny her feelings for him but her statement of not caring about their time together was just too much for him to hear. The past three months was the happiest time of his existence and he knew he made her just as happy. He pulled her close as she struggled against him, "No! Let go of me! Please let go me. Please, Klaus please!" she was pleading but Klaus knew better. He knew he just needed to kiss her once and so he did.

His lips were on hers, silencing her and warming her. His lips were insistent and opened her mouth to his. He moved one of his arms and held the back of her neck while the other continued to her hold her firmly and yet gently. It was a passionate kiss and Caroline crumbled against him. To her horror and happiness she began kissing him back. She slid her hands that were pressing against his chest up around his neck and pulled him closer. She whimpered and Klaus smiled against her lips. She was pressing herself against him when Klaus gently pulled away from her, "Caroline," he whispered. Caroline finally was aware of what she was doing and found herself still holding onto Klaus. In a panic she started to let go of him but Klaus held her tightly and hugged her even closer to him than they were before.

"Don't, Sweetheart. Please don't runaway from this. Just stay in my arms. Admit this to yourself. I am not going to leave you Caroline. I am a very patient man but not when it comes to you, dear. I always get what I want and I want you. I love you." And then he sweetly kissed her forehead, shushing her to stop crying.

She stared into his eyes and saw the truth of it all. She was in love with him. After a few quiet moments she finally found her voice and barely whispered, "I'm scared."

Klaus leaned his forehead against hers and replied, "I know you are but you don't have to be," he kissed her, "I promise you I will protect you," he kissed her, "I promise you that you will be happy," he kissed a trail down her neck and then back to her lips, "And darling, I know that you loved him. I am sincerely sorry for what happened but I do not regret it. I will never regret it Caroline," he kissed her again, willing her to try to stop crying.

Caroline missed Tyler. She honestly did but she knew she was in love with Klaus. He had been so good to her these past three months and she knew the promises he was making he would keep. He was a man of his word. Despite what her friends would think, despite what she had been taught all her life, she craved him. She loved him. She wanted what he was offering her. She wanted to know his life and so she decided that she would give them what they both deserved.

"Klaus, I don't want to runaway from this. I mean I, I care for you. I do. I…"

"Sweetheart, please. Just say it. I need to hear you say it."

She looked at his pleading eyes and cupped his face, "I love you." She then kissed him tenderly and he eagerly kissed her back. Caroline knew her life was about to change drastically but it was all for love. Good, bad, right, or wrong; love conquers all.


End file.
